Customer Reviews

The Wonderful World of Disney, The Story of Robin Hood And His Merrie Men

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This DVD is a Disney Movie Club exclusive, so can be purchased by joining the club. Even given the additional cost of buying the DVDs necessary to fulfill your agreement, it's still cheaper than paying an exorbinant price on Amazon.

The presentation itself is quite good, but not worth ridiculous money.

A number of years ago, I reviewed the VHS version of this live-action Disney version of Robin Hood. I consider this to be the best Robin Hood film, but the VHS print was washed out and grainy. This DVD print is not a restoration, but colors are vibrant and the image and sound are at least three times better than what we had to settle for on VHS.

A lot of major artists were involved in the production of this movie, including Geoffrey Unsworth (cinematographer of Superman I), Muir Matheison (conductor of the London Symphony)and director Ken Annakin (pal of George Lucas and namesake for Skywalker Anakin, AKA Darth Vader). Every major cast member (Academy Award winner Peter Finch, Joan Rice, James Robertson Justice, Hubery Gregg) is long dead, with the exception of Robin Hood himself, Richard Todd, who as of this writing at least, is spending his late eighties in a peaceful village north of London. I wonder if it's near Sherwood Forest?

The reviewer above said it is cheaper to join Disney Movie club but I could not find this wonderful Robin Hood on DVD at that club, only VHS.

Big Difference

Jenny Wren, O Jenny Wren,
Won't you please be mine?
And you shall feed on cherry pie
and drink new currant wine.


--from "When Jenny Wren was Young," read by the blind lady in braille to the little girl in the first "Magnificent Obsession"

Come sing low, come sing high,
Come change your name to mine,
And you shall eat my capon pie
and drink my malmsy wine.

--Friar Tuck's song in this movie

The title of this article says it all. Disney's Robinhood has adventure, charm, romance, and humor all in one without todays sex and gore.

I've seen a lot of Robin Hood movies. I've seen him as the Earl of Huntingdon and as a peasant. I've seen Saracens and sorcery added to the mix. This story keeps closer to the tales than most and adds a believable historical context with Queen Elinore of Aquitaine trying to put together Richard's ransom. Some of the battles, especially the finally, are tepid but overall this is a worthwhile edition.

I read the story of Robin Hood at age 11, and enjoyed the 1938 film with Errol Flynn at his swashbuckling best. But the Disney-produced version brought warm remembrance and once again left me smiling. The story is true to the written legend, but told with an upbeat style that is memorably supported by a singing minstrel. Richard Todd portrays a likeable Robin, and his cohorts - including Maid Marian, Friar Tuck, Little John, and the rest of the outlaw band - seem more into perpetrating mischief against evil Prince John and his minions than committing acts of hateful revenge. I loved the film when I first saw it in 1952, and I still love it.

Now I see why Disney hasn't put this out on DVD! Profiteering! I've been looking for it forever.

I don't know what other movies are in the Disney Movie Club, whether they're classics that're worth watching or the junk they're baloney-machining out now, but this one is worth every penny, no matter how much you pay for it! Even the hefty prices you find here (like the old days when DVD's were a new technology, not so long ago at all).

No, it's not deep. Don't go expecting that. But it's still amazing. Definitely creams the Costner version. I guess it's on-par with the Flynn version, but I like it better. Much, much better. There must be something else to it. Both Flynn and this are fairly historically accurate, mature, intelligent, witty, fun, and clean.

"A Worthy Classic" is my new title for it, in all the old connotations. I only give it four stars 'cause it's not deep.